Abusive
by Darkfire25
Summary: Pippin is abused by his father. Can Merry help him? Rated T to be safe. I currently updated a newer version, and am fixing it and making it better


**Hey! It's me. I've been obsessed with the Lord of the Rings since I was little, so here's my story! I've let this go a bit, but my family has started watching lost and I totally remembered about this story! So i am fixing it up a bit...a lot. :) I have not left this story. You probably noticed I morphed almost all my chapters into this one, but I think it will work out this way.**

The Shire was home to the race, though known little, was known as a hobbit. They were small folk who enjoyed a light-hearted atmosphere and their hearty meals. The land was green hills and hobbit holes. Now, a hobbit hole isn't a dirty, wormy hole. A hobbit hole is a cozy, welcoming home built into the side a a lush green hill-one of many in the Shire. The roof was low and the door small, so what would live in that hobbit hole? Well, a hobbit, of course! A halfling. They were gentle, curly-haired folk who enjoyed simple everyday life. No adventures. Well, there have been a few Hobbbits who have taken adventures. Bilbo Baggins, who still tells the stories today, is one. Although, he is part Took, and a Took is an odd one indeed. In fact, a small Took still roomed through the Shire causing havoc and trouble. Now, Pippin wasn't bad, but according to his father he wasn't good ether. Nothing he did was good enough. Nothing. Every day he suffered many beatings from his abusive father. He tried to keep his goofy smile in tact, but it became harder and heavier as time wore on. Whenever he could he would go and hang out with his cousin, Merry. Merry was the joy in his life. His escape. His dear cousin was worth more to him than anything in the whole Middle Earth.

"It's pretty warm out. Why don't we give up fishin' and take a swim, Pip?" Merry asked as he set his wooden fishing pole down on the green grass by the river bank. Pippin laughed and used one of his slender hands to wipe his sweaty forehead. His curlly hand was slick and stuck to his forehead and face.

"Not in the mood, but you can go right ahead. With you splashing in there, maybe you'll scare the fish right to my hook. Then i might be able to catch a good few." He joked, squishing another dirty worm onto his silver hook. Merry gazed at him sadly. This wasn't the first time Pippin declined an offer to have a good time.

"What is the matter, Pippin? You've been acting strange lately." Merry questioned, concern lacing his voice.

"Nothing," Pippin answered quickly, "does something seem to be the matter?" Merry shook his head, but Pippin was not convinced.

"No." There were a few beats of silence between the two hobbits.

"I don't think the fish are bittin', so lets call it a day." Merry suggested and Pippin nodded his agreement. The two cousins packed up their poles and unused pipes, and made their way back home.

Walking up to his hobbit hole door, Pippin waved good-bye to Merry and said his good-nights. He pushed open the dark blue wooden door. Closing the door with little noise, he turned and started walking towards the kitchen.

"Welcome home," A soft voice spoke from behind him. Jumping in suprise, he whipped around to come face to face with his kind-eyed mother. His tense shoulders relaxed.

"Your father will be home soon, so hurry and get to bed." His mother told him, but he knew she wasn't trying to be mean. She meant well. Although, it was too late. The door swung open to reveal a plump, angry hobbit.

"What the hell is this shit doing up?!" Pippin's father yelled. It was quite obvious he had been drinking and was now very drunk. He stumbled in through the door and slammed it behind him. Pippin and his mother shot each other nervous looks.

"He was just going to bed." Pippin's mother tried to explain, but she was silenced as Mr. Took threw a bottle at her head. Luckily, he missed and it shattered against the wall right next to her. The hundreds of pieces of glass lying all over the floor, Pippin's gaze darted back to his father.

"You!" He yelled at poor Pippin, who was terrified.

"Yes, sir!" Pippin said with a shaky voice.

"Come here!" His father commanded. Pippin slowly walked over to him, head down with this eyes on the floor, and stood before his drunk, angry father.

"Look up at me when I talk to you!" Mr. Took directed and Pippin's head shot up to meet his father's cold, hard glare.

"S-sorry!" He stuttered. He heard his father give a huff, as if trying to control his already too far gone anger.

"It's always the same with you! 'I'm sorry'! You stuttering fool of a Took!" Pippin closed his eyes to try and will the tears to disappear, but his eyes wrentched open when his fathers fist made harsh contact with his vulnrable stomach. Gasping, his kness buckled.

"You're weak! Soft! Undisaplined!" Pippin fell to his kness, ignoring the jolt of pain that ran through his boady at the rude landing. _Will this never end?_ Pippin wailed desperately in his head.

(())

That same night, Merry lay in his cozy bed in his own hobbit hole. Lost in thought, he brought his blanket closer to him, tucking the edge under his chin. _Pippin is not himself. _The hobbit thought. Merry worried about Pippin. It is just how it goes. He couldn't help but worry about his younger cousin. His best friend. _I'll talk to him tomorrow._ He decided. Pippin was not one to lay iddly around. No, he was the rare kind of hobbit who got into fun trouble. Afterall, there is no Merry and Pippin with Pippin. Merry's green-blue eyes slowly fell shut and his young mind to him to dreams that only he knew.

With the Sun floating just above the horizon, Merry's eyes fluttered open. The thought of helping his dear cousin still fesh in his mind, Merry ate a quick breakfeast of eggs, sasuage, and muffins before rushing over to Pippin's. He knocked at the door and waited patiently befire Mrs. Took answered.

"Good morning, Merry! I'm sure you're looking for Pippin. Here, come in, come in!" She said joyfully. He smiled and stepped outside. His smile faded just a bit when his eyes landed on Pippin. _Oh, poor Pip._ He thought. There were dark circles under the hobbits dull eyes, his curly,brown hair was a mess, and he semmed to walk at a painful gate.

"Hello, Pip." Merry said, trying to smile.

"O, hello, Merry. Fine morning it is, isn't it?" Pippin said too cheerfully for his figure.

"Yes, very and in fact, won't you come and take a long needed smoke with me on the hills?" He asked, holding out his own dark brown pipe. Pippin smiled and nodded his head eagerly, grabbing his pipe.

"We better bring some food while we're at it." Pippin laughed, grabbing hius things, and moving out the door. Once they had gathered all they thought they would need, they headed out for a nice day to themselves. It was a quiet day, they spent half of it relaxing, eating, and smoking. The Sun was to set soon, so Merry turned to Pippin with a serious look on his face.

"Pip, what's been going on with you?" He asked. Pippin looked hesitant, but soon answered.

"Nothing." Merry looked at him unconvinced. Pippin sighed.

"I wish I could tell you, but it's somethin' we Tooks have to take care of. No need for a Brandybuck to get involved." Merry then sighed as well. Pippin seemed so persistent to keep whatever it was bothering him to himself.

"Okay, but if anything shall be needed, you can come to me." Merry replied solemnly. Pippin looked into Merry's eyes with a calm acceptaince.

"I will."

Merry studied his cousin's green-hazel eyes. He knew that whatever he said Pippin would not come to him. That Pippin accepted whatever he was dealing with. It pained Merry's heart to know that.

When the day faded to night and the blue sky gradually turned purple before fading to a dark blue, Merry reluctantly agreeed to head home after seeing Pippin yawn for the fourth time. They had a relaxing day filled with sitting. smoking, and joking, but it was time to head home. The walk home was short and bittersweet. But Pippin was unprepared for what happened when he strolled into his home. His father had been drinking too much.

"Hey, you!" His sather shouted and Pippin froze. Merry, who never left in the first place, inched closer to the window. He heard Mr. Took shout.

"Get over here and answer me!" He yelled to Merry's poor cousin. Pippin walked over to his father, and Merry was astonished at how Pippin was being treated. Afterall, his father look really mad. _For what reason?_ Merry wondered.

"Yes, sir." Pippin mumbled, head down, shaking all over.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, you brat!" Merry heard Mr. Took shout. He watched as Pippin was smacked across the face,k and both cousins gasped-one in pain and one in horror. Pippin straightened up only to be kicked down again. Saving his strength, Pippin remained on the floor. Merry could hear the whimpering and stifled cries of his cousin. Just then, Mrs. Took came rushing into the room.

"Stop! He didn't do anything! He's just a boy!" She yelled pushing his father off Pippin. Merry knew he shouldn't go in there, but he really wished he could. He wasn't even supposed to be here anyway.

"Don't push me, bitch!" He shouted, pushing her into the wall. She hit her shoulder hard and fell to the floor. Pippin shot up and raced to his mother's side. She looked at him."

"Run." She whispered to him, giving him a small shove to the door. He looked at the door and then his mother, but her gaze made it clear there was no time to argue. Squeezing her hand, he nodded and ran out the door.

Pippin ran right out the door, dodging his father's grabbing hands, and kept running. Salty tears streamed down his face and blurred his vision, he stubbed his toes on the grass, and he ached terribly. He could faintly hear a voice calling out for him, but the muffled sound of his sobs and laboured breathing made it impossoble to hear who it was.

Pippin!" Came the desperate call again.

He ran faster. Pippin tripped over a dip in the ground and fell, but he did not get back up. He laid there crying. Grabbing his head, pulling his hair in frusteration, and whimpering he tried to catch up on his breathing. He then felt warm, caring arms circle around him, and Pippin realized it was someone giving him a hug.

"Pippin? It's me, Merry." Merry spoke softly in his ear, placing a soft kiss into Pippin's brown curls. Pippin wiped at the tears running down his face. Frusterated when the tears continued as he wiped them over again.

"Pip, its okay. Its okay." Merry told him, and Pippin let his hand fall to his side, numb.

"Merry, what are you doing out so late?" Pippin asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." Merry responded firmly.

"It was just a a nightmare, and I uh need to get out to get away and some fresh air." Pippin lied.

"What's that there on your arm?" Merry asked, eyeing the black and blue bruise that stood out in sharp contrast to Pippin's pale skin.

"Got that when I fell, I suppose." Pippin asnwered studying the mark with unhappy look on his face.

"Yeah, suppose so. I mean where and how else would you get a bruise like that one?" Merry said. The tone of Merry's voice worried Pippin to the point where he couldn't make eye contact with his older cousin. Merry, sensing that Pippin got the hint, got up, brushed his knees off, and smiled down at Pippin.

"How about you come back to my place for tonight?" Merry asked, helping Pippin up. He nodded his head, and the walked in silence to Merry's hobbit hole. His mother was fine with the sleeping arrangements and got Pippin a few blankets and a plush pillow. Taking them gratefully, Pippin fell right to sleep, exhaustion overwhelming him. Merry watch his cousin. Pippin's deep breathing threatened to lull Merry to sleep as well, but his heart was too heavy with saddness and worry to sleep. His mind replaying the images his eyes had watched earlier. He couldn't stop thinking about the harsh treatment Pippin's father gave to the other two. He knew he had to do something and quick. For now, he wanted to see if Pippin would come and tell him on his own, but, if it got worse, he would step in. He would do anything for his Pip. He glanced out the window, and sighed. Lying down next to Pippin, Merry too shut his eyes and let his exhausted heart relieve itself.


End file.
